 Only a surprise attack could succeed, but the march of a war party across North Canterbury or the approach of a large fleet of canoes would make surprise impossible.So Te Rauparaha decided to use a European ship for his raid, knowing that the Takapūneke Māori would not suspect such a vessel of carrying a war party, and would welcome it as a trader.His first approach was to Captain Briggs of the Hobart ship "Dragon", but Briggs rejected the proposal.